OOD TO BE IN MIDST OF PAY-GAP UPROAR CLAIRE

She had earlier opened up about getting paid less than The Crown costar Matt Smith

Actors Claire Foy and Matt Smith, who star in the historical-drama series, The Crown, have been in the middle of a major pay-gap uproar, which started after Foy opened up about her pay, during the first two seasons of the web series. Smith had received more for those seasons, as a result of his Doctor Who fame.

Foy says that she finds it odd to be in midst of this uproar, but is “not surprised about the interest in the story” in the sense that it was a female-led drama.

She told ew.com, “I am surprised because I’m at the centre of it, and anything that I’m at the centre of like that is very, very odd, and feels very, very out of ordinary... [But] I’m not surprised that people saw the story and went, ‘Oh, that’s a bit odd’. But I know that Matt feels the same that I do, that it’s odd to find yourself at the centre of a story that you didn’t particularly ask for,” she added.

The production company involved behind The Crown revealed that Smith had received a higher pay cut, but added that going forward, “no one gets paid more than the Queen”. The company later issued a formal apology for the pay gap.

Foy and Smith’s tenure with the series ended with the second season. For the third season, their characters -Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip — will be replaced by Olivia Colman and an unannounced actor to portray the royal couple during the years spanning 1964-1976.

Helena Bonham Carter will replace Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK Claire Foy played Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of The Crown